The following description of the background of the invention is provided simply as an aid in understanding the invention and is not admitted to describe or constitute prior art to the invention.
Vitamin C [2-oxo-L-threo-hexono-1,4-lactone2,3-enediol] or L-ascorbic acid is a water-soluble vitamin and essential nutrient for humans. It is essential in the formation of collagen, which is required for normal growth and development as well as tissue repair in all parts of the body. Vitamin C also functions as an antioxidant that blocks the damage caused by free radicals and directly reduces toxic chemicals and pollutants.
As humans do not produce vitamin C in the body, it is primarily obtained from dietary sources such as fruits and vegetables. Lack of dietary vitamin C may result in vitamin C deficiency. Severe vitamin C deficiency, also know as “scurvy,” leads to the formation of liver spots on skin, spongy gums, and bleeding from mucous membranes, or even death.
Currently, vitamin C is not only used as a dietary supplement, but also as an adjunct therapy for some viral infections and terminal cancers. The recommended daily intake of vitamin C for adults to prevent deficiency is 75 mg for females and 90 mg for males, both with a tolerable upper level of 2,000 mg. For therapeutic usage in detoxification and cancer therapy, vitamin C is given intravenously at much higher doses. Although vitamin C toxicity is rare clinically, relatively high doses of oral intake may lead to stomach upset and diarrhea.
Assays for vitamin C blood levels have been developed and are used by patients and physicians to evaluate nutritional status or to optimize therapeutic dosages.